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Lesley University

Lesley University is a private campus in Cambridge proper — federal locale codes class it as urban.

What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$26,173

family income
under $30k

$27,225

$30–48k

$31,594

$48–75k

$34,465

$75–110k

$34,726

over $110k

Average net price

$31,1522023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Lesley University has wandered from 2008 to 2023 — up to $33,644 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at $31,152.

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$28,675
2009	$27,393
2010	$29,881
2011	$31,521
2012	$32,534
2013	$32,123
2014	$30,616
2015	$29,084
2016	$31,401
2017	$32,289
2018	$33,644
2019	$33,446
2020	$30,399
2021	$31,187
2022	$31,805
2023	$31,152

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$51,5382024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Lesley University rose from $41,395 (2009) to $51,538 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$41,395
2010	$42,782
2011	$44,258
2012	$46,092
2013	$47,788
2014	$48,818
2015	$40,652
2016	$40,889
2017	$43,407
2018	$45,871
2019	$47,630
2020	$47,620
2021	$48,043
2022	$48,919
2023	$49,226
2024	$51,538

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$16,300
2001	$17,250
2002	$18,475
2003	$19,700
2004	$21,125
2005	$22,850
2006	$24,450
2007	$25,750
2008	$27,450
2013	$32,375
2014	$24,375
2015	$25,095
2016	$25,875
2017	$26,675
2018	$27,975
2019	$28,875
2020	$29,550
2021	$29,550
2022	$31,364
2023	$32,780

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Lesley University reports published tuition of $34,256 in this record. Lesley University's $34,256 tuition excludes other attendance costs; aid can reduce the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Lesley University reports 1,122 undergraduates. This count does not measure class size or advising access.

58% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Lesley University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

58%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Lesley University rose from 46.9% (entered 1995) to 58% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1995 cohort	46.9%
1996 cohort	62.4%
1997 cohort	74.1%
1998 cohort	54.3%
1999 cohort	43.1%
2000 cohort	45%
2001 cohort	58.1%
2002 cohort	48.1%
2003 cohort	59.8%
2004 cohort	51.8%
2005 cohort	49.4%
2006 cohort	46.3%
2007 cohort	46%
2008 cohort	58.3%
2009 cohort	54.3%
2010 cohort	54.5%
2011 cohort	59.7%
2012 cohort	61%
2013 cohort	59.7%
2014 cohort	60.1%
2015 cohort	60.5%
2016 cohort	61.4%
2017 cohort	61.7%
2018 cohort	58%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1995–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$14,500	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$14,500	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$14,500	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$14,311	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$14,500	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$14,500	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$15,750	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,834	$6,999
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$15,015	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$15,125	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$14,375	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$15,125	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$17,000	$8,734
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$19,500	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$21,125	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$23,000	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$24,500	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$25,000	$9,750
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$24,321	$8,050
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$23,250	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$23,131	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$22,748	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$21,222	$8,308
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$21,000	$8,750

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$40,150

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$41,277

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$51,173

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Lesley University admitted 2,447 of 2,526 applicants in Fall 2024. The 96.9% rate describes that application pool.

96.9%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $32,780 tuition · 2023–24 1,122 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Tests not considered · Fall 2024

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

Lesley University did not consider scores in the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. No score range is displayed for Lesley University under that historical policy.

Check current requirements with admissions.

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Lesley University received 2,526 applications and admitted 2,447 (96.9%), with 193 enrolling.

Acceptance rate

96.9%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2002	83%
Fall 2003	77%
Fall 2004	80.8%
Fall 2005	71.6%
Fall 2006	40.5%
Fall 2007	63.6%
Fall 2008	64.6%
Fall 2009	67.2%
Fall 2010	67.8%
Fall 2011	66.5%
Fall 2012	63.9%
Fall 2013	67.5%
Fall 2014	71.5%
Fall 2015	67.1%
Fall 2016	63.7%
Fall 2017	72.6%
Fall 2018	75.7%
Fall 2019	74.7%
Fall 2020	83.8%
Fall 2021	87%
Fall 2022	86.2%
Fall 2023	94.4%
Fall 2024	96.9%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2002–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1000–1210Fall 2019 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	930	1100
Fall 2002	850	1100
Fall 2003	890	1110
Fall 2004	880	1100
Fall 2005	930	1160
Fall 2006	910	1140
Fall 2007	910	1160
Fall 2008	950	1160
Fall 2009	920	1180
Fall 2010	960	1170
Fall 2011	940	1160
Fall 2012	962	1180
Fall 2013	950	1170
Fall 2014	980	1190
Fall 2015	960	1170
Fall 2016	960	1160
Fall 2017	1020	1210
Fall 2018	938	1293
Fall 2019	1000	1210

IPEDS Fall 2001–2019, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

20–26Fall 2019 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2005	19	25
Fall 2006	20	25
Fall 2007	20	26
Fall 2008	19	26
Fall 2009	20	26
Fall 2010	21	27
Fall 2011	21	25
Fall 2012	20	25
Fall 2013	21	26
Fall 2014	21	26
Fall 2015	21	25
Fall 2016	21	26
Fall 2017	20	27
Fall 2018	22	29
Fall 2019	20	26

IPEDS Fall 2005–2019, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

1,122Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Lesley University fell from 1,443 (Fall 2002) to 1,122 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	1,443
Fall 2003	1,381
Fall 2004	1,156
Fall 2005	1,561
Fall 2006	1,566
Fall 2007	1,622
Fall 2008	1,607
Fall 2009	1,706
Fall 2010	1,741
Fall 2011	1,786
Fall 2012	1,963
Fall 2013	1,785
Fall 2014	1,727
Fall 2015	1,849
Fall 2016	1,952
Fall 2017	2,074
Fall 2018	2,108
Fall 2019	2,031
Fall 2020	1,814
Fall 2021	1,685
Fall 2022	1,406
Fall 2023	1,252
Fall 2024	1,122

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

72%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Lesley University fell from 85% (Fall 2003) to 72% (Fall 2023).

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2003 cohort	85%
Fall 2004 cohort	79%
Fall 2005 cohort	72%
Fall 2006 cohort	69%
Fall 2007 cohort	66%
Fall 2008 cohort	74%
Fall 2009 cohort	75%
Fall 2010 cohort	76%
Fall 2011 cohort	79%
Fall 2012 cohort	79%
Fall 2013 cohort	76%
Fall 2014 cohort	80%
Fall 2015 cohort	80%
Fall 2016 cohort	80%
Fall 2017 cohort	80%
Fall 2018 cohort	81%
Fall 2019 cohort	67%
Fall 2020 cohort	75%
Fall 2021 cohort	74%
Fall 2022 cohort	77%
Fall 2023 cohort	72%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2003–2023

More about Lesley University

Faculty pay at Lesley University averages $105,756 a year, annualized from reported monthly pay. Carnegie classes Lesley University as a primarily residential campus of 1,122 undergraduates — and 72.3% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Lesley University reported not considering test scores in Fall 2024, when its admission rate was 96.9%. Review Lesley University's current requirements before applying; use the GPA calculator for your semester numbers.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Lesley University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Lesley University96.9%

Massachusetts median70.3%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Lesley University$34,256

Massachusetts median$46,700

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Lesley University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Lesley University$51,173

Massachusetts median$62,832

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Lesley University, Massachusetts and national reference values
Metric & basis	Lesley University	Massachusetts median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	96.9%	70.3%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$34,256	$46,700	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$51,173	$62,832	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Lesley University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Lesley University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 11 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$67,879
Psychology, General	$56,837
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$52,570
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology	$52,367
English Language and Literature, General	$50,260
Visual and Performing Arts, General	$49,175
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	$45,508
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$45,293
Design and Applied Arts	$45,099
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	$43,129
Fine and Studio Arts	$41,320

These 11 fields listed for Lesley University measure earnings after completion. The $51,173 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 23 additional Lesley University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Lesley University report?

Lesley University did not consider scores in Fall 2024: 96.9% admitted. Check current requirements.

What is Lesley University's acceptance rate?

96.9% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 2,447 admitted from 2,526 applicants.

How much does Lesley University cost?

At Lesley University, tuition is $34,256. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Lesley University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $51,173. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Massachusetts

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — 85.2% admitted
Massachusetts Maritime Academy — 94.7% admitted
Fitchburg State University — 86.9% admitted
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts — 89.7% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.